“They were in a final, and it doesn’t matter how you play in a final. You can play the most unattractive rugby imaginable – it makes no odds because it is about winning.

“The Heineken Cup is notorious for producing poor rugby in a final, but they ground it out.

“They recycled the ball and killed the clock, and I applaud them for it. It typifies the sort of side they are. They are a thinking side.

“To be honest, I am very envious of it and I make no secret of that. They have been in four finals, and for that you have to take your hat off to them.

“The position they are in is something we all have to strive for and is something I want to achieve. There are not many players out there with two Heineken Cup winners’ medals. They rarely play badly, and even when they do have their off-days they push teams to the limit. That is a great skill to have.

“When the Munster players join the squad, I am sure they will bring a huge infectious factor – a real buzz.”

O’Driscoll leads an Irish XV drawn largely from Leinster and Ulster on Tuesday, with most interest surrounding his new centre partnership alongside the highly-rated Luke Fitzgerald.

Coach Michael Bradley, in charge for the Barbarians game and senior tour before Munster boss Declan Kidney takes up his appointment as Eddie O’Sullivan’s successor, can call on the experience of players like O’Driscoll, wing Shane Horgan and lock Malcolm O’Kelly.

But there is also a chance for players who will spearhead Ireland A’s Barclays Churchill Cup challenge in the USA and Canada next month.

Australian centre Morgan Turinui leads the Barbarians, with former Wallabies fly-half Stephen Larkham wearing the number 10 shirt and Gloucester’s England wing Lesley Vainikolo also starting.

And there could be a surprise place on the bench for New Zealand flanker Jerry Collins.

The Wellington Hurricanes forward, who is likely to start next Sunday’s Twickenham encounter between England and the Barbarians, has called time on his playing career in New Zealand.

The 27-year-old has been given an early release from his New Zealand Rugby Union contract.

Collins admitted: “It’s something that I have thought about for a while.”